Borthwick Defends England Rugby Squad Changes Amid Eligibility Debate
England Rugby Squad Selection Sparks Eligibility Controversy
By Mitch Phillips
BAGSHOT, England, May 19 (Reuters) - England coach Steve Borthwick has predictably swatted away criticism of the selection of Benhard Janse van Rensburg in his latest England squad as the South African Bristol centre becomes eligible through residency.
Janse van Rensburg's Eligibility and Selection
Janse van Rensburg, 29, was initially ruled to have been "captured" by a brief appearance off the bench for South Africa's under-20s in 2016 but the RFU successfully appealed to World Rugby.
He will now become eligible on July 8, after five years in the country, missing England's opening Nations Championship game against the Springboks on July 4 but available to face Fiji and Argentina in the next two weeks.
Criticism from Former Players
His call-up, along with the dropping of Bath centres Max Ojomoh and Ollie Lawrence, was attacked by former England scrumhalf Danny Care.
"It doesn't sit right with me," Care told the BBC's Rugby Union Weekly podcast. "His dream was to play for the Springboks but because he's qualified over here he's now 'yeah, I'll play for England'. I feel it would mean more to Ojomoh or Lawrence to wear that shirt and represent that country."
Borthwick's Response to Criticism
Speaking to journalists at England's training base in Surrey on Tuesday, Borthwick said that he did not pay attention to such criticism.
"I pick the players I want to pick," he said. "I consult with my coaches and make my decision. World Rugby rules are very clear about when players become eligible."
Midfield Challenges and Janse van Rensburg's Role
With England continually struggling to nail down a settled midfield, Borthwick explained why he decided to draft Janse van Rensburg in.
Borthwick on Janse van Rensburg's Abilities
"He has an ability to 12 and 13," he said. "I always analysed (his former club) London Irish and he was one of the key players we had to prepare for. When you're an opposition head coach and spend that much time and attention on a player you see that guy's a good player.
"When I chat to anyone about him, to a man they say what an incredible character he is. Seeing how warmly all of the players have welcomed him into the squad to bring him up to speed has been excellent."
New Faces in the England Squad
Among the other new faces is uncapped 20-year-old Bath hooker Kepu Tuipulotu, who Borthwick has also had on his radar for a long time.
Borthwick on Kepu Tuipulotu's Potential
"I was getting reports of Kepu when he was still playing schoolboy rugby... conversations that this guy is going to be an England player," he said. "His power, his ability to find the ball and make an impact... the coaches at Bath have done a great job to accelerate his development and he's been involved in a lot of games already for such a young man."
Managing Player Workloads and Future Plans
Borthwick hinted that some of his squad, particularly those who played on the British and Irish Lions tour including captain Maro Itoje, could be rested or used sparingly in July as England play three games on three continents in three weeks.
Individual Approach to Player Management
"I will treat each player on an individual basis. Myself and (performance director) Phil Morrow met with Maro and had a discussion about what's right for him," he said, "This last year has been a big year for a number of different reasons so it's an ongoing conversation."
Reflections on Six Nations and Looking Ahead
Having experienced a dire Six Nations, with four defeats in a row, Borthwick gave little away about the RFU's post-championship review.
"We absolutely understand and feel the pain of those defeats. Now what we do is capture lessons and ensure that we are stronger and better," he said.
(Reporting by Mitch Phillips, editing by Pritha Sarkar)
